Ianuarius
by Valerie Vancollie
Summary: Upon following up a lead in a desperate effort to solve a case, Gary Walker witnesses a sight he never thought he'd see.
1. Drugs & Reservations

_**Ianuarius: Drugs & Reservations**_

_**by Valerie Vancollie**_

**valeriev84 at hotmail dot com  


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_Prequel/Sequel_: This mini-series now has a prequel, _Janus, Two Face_, however this series is better read **first** as the prequel will spoil it!

_Characters_: Lieutenant Gary Walker & 2 surprise characters

_Summary_: Upon following up a lead in a desperate effort to solve a case, Gary Walker witnesses a sight he never thought he'd see.

_Spoilers_: _End of Watch_

_Note_: This mini-series was completely unplanned. I was merely browsing the January drabbles on the numb3rs100 comm when the idea came out of nowhere and bit me. I wrote most of the four drabbles that very evening. Basically this series combines all (?) of the January prompts from numb3rs100. The reason for the question mark is because I'm not sure if there is enough in the series to really qualify for January's theme of addition. But the series does include all of the other January prompts including the character of the month (Lieutenant Gary Walker), each of the four word prompts (drugs, cigarettes, alcohol & gambling) as well as the four rewind prompts (reservations, encounter, room key & secret). So there are two word prompts per drabble (which I've since learned isn't allowed, so oops!).

As for the title, it is the Roman designation for January. It is also an alternate name for Janus, the god of doorways, so it also signifies the beginning of something new in the same way that January is the beginning of the year. So it was a fitting title in that it is not only was a throwback to the challenges from which this idea sprang, but it also alludes to beginnings. And this mini-series is in fact the beginning of something (not that it will continue with more fics, but at the end of the fic something will clearly begin). You'll just have to read all four drabbles to see what it is the beginning of because to say it here would be to ruin the series.

_Disclaimer_: I do not own Gary Walker or any other of the _Numb3rs_ characters, items or situations. I only lay claim to the original aspects of the fic.

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Lieutenant Gary Walker shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He hated stakeouts, hated them with a passion. He was a man of action, waiting around for something to happen simply wasn't his style.

"Do you think this will lead to anything?" Field questioned, his earlier enthusiasm having waned in the past hours.

"Probably not," Gary replied; the faster the kid lost his naivety, the better.

"So why are we here?"

"Just in case," Gary took a sip of cold coffee. "Because it is the best lead we've got."

They'd been chasing the mysterious money source of an old LA gang for months now, desperately attempting to ferret out where their sudden influx of cash was coming from. At first it had been low priority, but as they accumulated wealth they accumulated enemies and those enemies inevitably led to turf wars. The number of drive by shootings and gang violence in the area had skyrocketed, claiming more and more innocent lives. The toll would be greater still if he was correct and it was drug money.

Which brought them here. To the motel where their source said a meeting would take place at some point in the near future. When exactly, the source didn't know, merely that it would be soon. So here they were, observing and hoping the lead panned out as they had nothing else. The new gang leader led a tight ship.

"We've got incoming," Simmons' voice crackled over the radio. "Black Honda Civic. Two people."

Gary grabbed the binoculars from the dashboard and focused them on the car.

"Could be legitimate," Todd stated, his boredom carrying clear across the radio. "Perhaps they have reservations."

"In this dump? I doubt it," Gary snorted.

The place was falling apart. He didn't even want to _contemplate_ what the rooms looked like.  
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**Please let me know what you think of this drabble! Leave a review or send me an e-mail. Thanks.**


	2. Cigarette & Encounter

**_Ianuarius: Cigarette & Encounter_ **

**_by Valerie Vancollie_ **

**valeriev84 at hotmail dot com**

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"Okay, we've got one male and one fe-female," Field said as the couple got out of the Civic, his voice catching as he caught sight of her.

There was a lot of her to see.

She wore an impossibly short miniskirt, if it could even be called that, while her top ended well above her navel, baring her thin midriff for all to see. Dark leather boots encased her long legs up to the knees, being the single most concealing apparel she wore. Her long, dark hair was haphazardly pinned to the top of her head and her face was heavily made up. She took a deep pull from her cigarette, before she strode confidently across the parking lot to the motel entrance and stepped into the lobby.

"Holy shit!" Simmons exclaimed. "Will you take a look at that!"

"Focus," Gary barked, frowning at the unprofessional behavior. "Todd, did you get a shot of her?" he demanded as he watched the punk at reception snap to attention as soon as she entered.

"Yes, Lieutenant. I don't recognize her though."

"A new player?" Field suggested. "Perhaps she's the money? Or connected to it."

"Perhaps," Gary replied as he focused the binoculars on her. "Why aren't I hearing what they're saying?"

"Sorry, there seems to be a problem with the equipment," Todd stated.

"Then fix it! I want to hear what this encounter is about now."

Gary had to admit that she was gorgeous. He could see why the punk behind the counter was drooling. He didn't stand a chance against her. She could wrap him around her finger without even trying. He was definitely focused on her enoug-

Son of a bitch!

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Gary whipped the binoculars towards the man who'd trailed in behind her.

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**Please let me know what you think of this drabble! Leave a review or send me an e-mail. Thanks.**


	3. Alcohol & Room Key

**_Ianuarius: Alcohol & Room Key_ **

**_by Valerie Vancollie_ **

**valeriev84 at hotmail dot com**

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Sure enough, even as the receptionist was drooling over the mysterious woman, her companion was casually leaning against the desk, surreptitiously reaching for one of the room keys. He covered the movement with the bottle of tequila he held loosely in his other hand.

"I can get the techs to compare her photo agains-" Simmons began just as the microphones came to life and they could hear her flirting shamelessly.

"Forget her," Gary ordered. "She's a decoy, get me a name to go with him."

"Decoy?" Field questioned, his attention abruptly shifting to the man.

He was dressed in skintight black leather pants with an equally tight black muscle shirt. A diamond stud sparkled in his left ear while his hands sported several different rings, some which gleamed with gems, as did his necklaces. The semi-long spiked tresses were bleached with peroxide without any attempt to attain an even remotely natural color. His face, though mostly in shadow, was heavily made up and sparkled with glitter.

Gary unconsciously shuddered as he studied the figure. He was, in the words of his teenage daughter, a 'boy-toy.' Yet... yet there was something strangely familiar about him; as if he knew him from somewhere. His frown deepened at the thought. He was sure he'd remember running into someone like this before, but no one came to mind.

"He's sly," Todd commented, as the key vanished into a pocket for a few moments before it was replaced.

"Hmm," Gary agreed, the nagging sensation growing as he watched the man. It was there, on the tip of his tongue as it were.

"Angelica," the man whined. "You promised somewhere nice, not a dump."

Lieutenant Gary Walker's mouth fell open in astonishment and disbelief as the voice registered and he realized just who the man was.

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**Please let me know what you think of this drabble! Leave a review or send me an e-mail. Thanks.**


	4. Gambling & Secret

_**Ianuarius: Gambling & Secret**_

_**by Valerie Vancollie**_

**valeriev84 at hotmail dot com**

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_Note:_ Here is the last part, in the early evening for a change (at least over here in the UK!). I hope you like it.  


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Don Eppes!

Special Agent Don-freaking-Eppes!

For several moments, Gary could only stare in shock as the dolled up and bejeweled man in the lobby argued with the woman he'd come in with. That was the senior FBI agent he'd worked with on several occasions and, grudgingly, come to respect and admire!

"What the hell are they doing?" Field inquired, unaware of his boss' realization.

Gary snapped his mouth shut though he couldn't quite tear his eyes away from Eppes. Or rather from his face. His painted and glittering face. He himself had done many things in the name of undercover operations, but never had it involved letting someone near him with eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick and glitter!

Wait, if that was Eppes, then...

"Boss?" Field questioned, finally aware something wasn't quite right. "Are we going to let them leave?"

"What?" Gary asked, pulling himself together. "Yes, let them leave."

"I know we don't exactly have anything to hold them on, but surely we're better off trying to get them to talk than remaining here."

"Oh, they'll talk, just later."

Of that Gary was sure. While most cops cursed when learning of the Bureau's involvement in their case, he knew it could only be a good thing for him. Their previous collaborations, despite not all going smoothly, had always ended well.

"Later?"

"We don't want to blow their cover."

"What?" Simmons exclaimed, confused.

"Don't you recognize them? Those are Special Agents Eppes and Reeves of the FBI," Gary stated, watching them return to their car.

Strangely, despite having seen Eppes in that ridiculous getup, Gary found his admiration for the man grow. Who knew Eppes was such an actor? He really shouldn't be surprised, though, that the man had secret talents. He'd bet good money the man had several more.  
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**Well, I hope you enjoyed the image of a dolled up Don as much as I did!  
Please let me know what you thought of the (mini-)series.**

**_New_: This fic now has a prequel (though it's better read _after_ these drabbles!) called _Janus, Two Face_.**


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